Collapsible cup

ABSTRACT

A collapsible cup has a base and a series of cylindrical body segments that together form a rigid cup body. The base includes a cylindrical base segment extending upwardly from the base and having an external thread. The series of cylindrical body segments are of graduated diameters which telescopically engage each other and the cylindrical base segment, and include an externally threaded upper portion, and an internal thread that extends the across all of an internal surface of each of the cylindrical body segments, such that each of the cylindrical body segments is threadedly engaged with and supported by either the external thread of the cylindrical base segment, or the externally threaded upper portion of one of the cylindrical body segments.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to cups, and more particularly to a collapsible cup for holding a beverage, the cup being adapted to be twisted between an extended position for drinking, and a collapsed position for transportation and storage.

2. Description of Related Art

The following art defines the present state of this field:

Friedman, U.S. Pat. No. 2,438,434, teaches a collapsible cup that includes annular sections that include threaded strips that threadedly engage one another to form a rigid cup. The threaded strips are narrow, and only serve to lock the cup in a single position, a completely extended position. Friedman does not teach having the entire inner surface of the sections threaded, so that the cup can be threadedly adjusted to any position desired. Furthermore, Friedman does not teach a liner to be installed in the cup.

Stewart-Stand, U.S. Pat. No. 6,736,285, teaches a collapsible container that has a disk-shaped bottom and a disk-shaped cover which fit one within the other and engage by catches. A molded inner cup body has its base connected to the bottom and a mouth surrounded with a ring which seals to the cover and springs up from the bottom to erect the cup when the catches are released.

Wang, U.S. Pat. No. 6,702,143, teaches a container which is easily contracted and elastically expanded to restore its original shape by a coil spring. This container includes a flexible body and a capacity control ring. The body has a cylindrical interior for containing something. The capacity control ring is spirally formed around the outer surface of the sidewall of the body, and allows the body to be contracted and elastically expanded in a vertical direction, thus controlling the capacity of the body.

Erickson et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,616,004, teaches a compressible waste receptacle. The compressible waste receptacle includes a bag member having an open top, a closed bottom, and a rim disposed along an outer edge at the open top thereof; and also includes a biased coiled spring member capable of being compressed onto itself and also being removably disposed in the bag member; and further includes an assembly for fastening the bag member to the biased coiled spring member; and also includes an assembly to retain the biased coiled spring member in a compressed position.

Schneider et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,554,149, teaches a collapsible container that includes a cylindrical sidewall extending between a top and a bottom of the container. The sidewall is formed of a flexible material which enables the container to be opened to an expanded configuration or closed to a collapsed configuration. A coil spring biases the container to the open configuration. The coil spring has a top coil adjacent the top of the container and a bottom coil adjacent the bottom of the container. A durable bottom layer is affixed to the bottom of the container by at least one clamp.

Schneider, U.S. Pat. No. 6,520,365, teaches a collapsible container that includes a cylindrical sidewall extending between a top and a bottom of the container. The sidewall is formed of a flexible material which enables the container to be opened to an expanded configuration or closed to a collapsed configuration. A coil spring biases the container to the open configuration. The coil spring has a top coil adjacent the top of the container and a bottom coil adjacent the bottom of the container. A durable bottom layer is affixed to the bottom of the container.

Other patents of interest include Chan, U.S. Pat. No. 5,960,983, Mann et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,913,448, and Sedgwick, U.S. Pat. No. 216,227. All of the above-described references are hereby incorporated by reference in full.

The prior art teaches various forms of collapsible cups and similar containers. However, the prior art does not teach a collapsible cup that includes a series of cylindrical body segments that together form a cup body, wherein at least one of the cylindrical body segments has an internal thread that extends the across substantially all of an internal surface of the cylindrical body segment, enabling the collapsible cup to be moved completely from the extended to the collapsed positions, without the threads becoming disengaged.

The present invention fulfills these needs and provides further related advantages as described in the following summary.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention teaches certain benefits in construction and use which give rise to the objectives described below.

The present invention provides a collapsible cup comprising a base; a cylindrical base segment extending upwardly from the base, the cylindrical base segment having an external thread on an external surface, adjacent a top perimeter of the cylindrical base segment; a series of cylindrical body segments of graduated diameters which telescopically engage each other and the cylindrical base segment; an externally threaded upper portion of at least one of the cylindrical body segments; an internal thread that extends the across all of an internal surface of each of the cylindrical body segments, such that each of the cylindrical body segments is threadedly engaged with and supported by either the external thread of the cylindrical base segment, or the externally threaded upper portion of one of the cylindrical body segments; and a rim formed at a top of the cylindrical body segments, whereby the cylindrical body segments are thereby selectively movable between a collapsed position and an extended position by twisting the rim with respect to the base.

A primary objective of the present invention is to provide a collapsible cup having advantages not taught by the prior art.

Another objective is to provide a collapsible cup that can be moved between an extended position and a collapsed position by twisting a rim of the cup with respect to a base.

Another objective is to provide a collapsible cup that includes a series of cylindrical body segments that together form a cup body, at least one of the cylindrical body segments having an internal thread that extends the across substantially all of an internal surface of the cylindrical body segments, enabling the collapsible cup to be moved completely from the extended to the collapsed positions, without the threads becoming disengaged.

A further objective of one embodiment is to provide a collapsible cup that includes a liner for use in association with a cup body that is collapsible.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following more detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings illustrate the present invention. In such drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a collapsible cup according to one embodiment of the present invention, the collapsible cup being positioned in an extended position;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the collapsible cup in a collapsed position;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view thereof taken along line 3-3 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view thereof taken along line 4-4 in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the collapsible cup of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The above-described drawing figures illustrate the invention, a collapsible cup 10 that is adapted to be moved between an extended position for use, and a collapsed position for storage.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the collapsible cup 10, illustrating the collapsible cup 10 in the extended position for drinking. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the collapsible cup 10 in the collapsed position for storage. As illustrated in FIG. 1, in the extended position the collapsible cup 10 forms a full sized cup that is suitable for drinking a beverage (e.g., such as coffee while driving to work). As illustrated in FIG. 2, in the collapsed position the collapsible cup 10 is reduced to a much smaller size for storage.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the collapsible cup 10 taken along line 3-3 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the collapsible cup 10 taken along line 4-4 in FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the collapsible cup 10. As illustrated in FIGS. 1-5, the collapsible cup 10 includes a base 14 and a series of cylindrical body segments 30 that together form a rigid cup body. The cup body 12 may support a flexible liner 42 for containing a fluid (e.g. a beverage).

In the embodiment of FIGS. 1-5, the base 14 includes a bottom surface 16, and a cylindrical base segment 18 extending upwardly from the base 14. The bottom surface 16 is adapted to support the base 14 in an upright position upon a surface (e.g., a countertop, not shown). In this embodiment, the cylindrical base segment 18 forms a bottom part of the cup body 12. The base segment 18 preferably includes an external thread 20 on an external surface 22, preferably adjacent a top perimeter 24 of the cylindrical base segment 18. The cylindrical base segment 18 may be attached to the base 14 in any manner known in the art, it may be an integral part of the base 14, or it may be another of the cylindrical body segments 30, discussed below.

The remainder of the cup body 12 is formed by the series of cylindrical body segments 30 of graduated diameters which telescopically engage each other and the cylindrical base segment 18. The cylindrical body segments 30 may include a constant inner diameter, although in an alternative embodiment they may be tapered. On an external surface 22 of the cylindrical body segments 30, an externally threaded upper portion 34 of at least one of the cylindrical body segments 30 is adapted to threadedly engage an internal thread 38 that preferably extends the across substantially all of an internal surface 36 of each of the cylindrical body segments 30. In this manner, each of the cylindrical body segments 30 is threadedly engaged with and supported by either the external thread 20 of the cylindrical base segment 18, or the externally threaded upper portion 34 of one of the cylindrical body segments 30.

For purposes of this application, the term “substantially all” means that enough of the internal surface 36 is threaded to enable the cup 10 to be moved completely from the extended to the collapsed positions, without the threads becoming disengaged.

A rim 40 is formed at a top of the cylindrical body segments 30, in this embodiment as a separate component that locks onto the uppermost body segment. In this embodiment, the rim 40 is generally U-shaped and includes a locking recess 44 (e.g., slot, ridge, etc.) for engaging the liner, described below. In another embodiment, the rim 40 may be an integral part of the uppermost body segment, and not a separate component as illustrated in the present embodiment. Obviously, the rim 40 may have many alternative constructions, and such alternatives known in the art should be considered within the scope of the present invention.

This unique threaded engagement enables the cylindrical body segments 30 to be selectively movable between the collapsed position and the extended position by twisting the rim 40 with respect to the base 14. As the rim 40 is rotated with respect to the base 14, all of the cylindrical body segments 30, along with the cylindrical base segment 18, move along the connecting threads to raise or lower the rim 40 with respect to the base 14.

In one embodiment, the collapsible cup 10 further includes the flexible liner 42 for containing the liquid added to the collapsible cup 10. The flexible liner 42 may include an access opening 46 at a liner top 48 and a liner base 50 at a liner bottom 52. The liner base 50 is closed, for containing the fluid. The top of the flexible liner 42 is attachable to or adjacent the rim 40. The flexible liner 42 may have a plurality of folds 54 disposed between the liner top 48 and the liner bottom 52.

The collapsible cup 10 may further comprise a lid 60 that engages the rim 40 to cover the collapsible cup 10. The lid 60 engages the rim 40 to lock the liner top 48 of the flexible liner 42 between the lid 60 and the rim 40, such that the lid 60 covers the access opening 46 of the liner top 48.

The terminology used in the specification provided above is hereby defined to include similar and/or equivalent terms, and/or alternative embodiments that would be considered obvious to one skilled in the art given the teachings of the present patent application. Additionally, the words “a,” “an,” and “one” are defined to include one or more of the referenced item unless specifically stated otherwise. Also, the terms “have,” “include,” “contain,” and similar terms are defined to mean “comprising” unless specifically stated otherwise.

While the invention has been described with reference to at least one preferred embodiment, it is to be clearly understood by those skilled in the art that the invention is not limited thereto. Rather, the scope of the invention is to be interpreted only in conjunction with the appended claims. 

1. A collapsible cup comprising: a base; a cylindrical base segment extending upwardly from the base, the cylindrical base segment having an external thread on an external surface, adjacent a top perimeter of the cylindrical base segment; a series of cylindrical body segments of graduated diameters which telescopically engage each other and the cylindrical base segment; an externally threaded upper portion of at least one of the cylindrical body segments; an internal thread that extends the across all of an internal surface of each of the cylindrical body segments, such that each of the cylindrical body segments is threadedly engaged with and supported by either the external thread of the cylindrical base segment, or the externally threaded upper portion of one of the cylindrical body segments; and a rim formed at a top of the cylindrical body segments, whereby the cylindrical body segments are thereby selectively movable between a collapsed position and an extended position by twisting the rim with respect to the base.
 2. The collapsible cup of claim 1, further comprising a flexible liner having an access opening at a liner top and a liner base at a liner bottom, the top of the flexible liner being attachable to or adjacent the rim.
 3. The collapsible cup of claim 2, wherein the flexible liner has a plurality of folds disposed between the liner top and the liner bottom.
 4. The collapsible cup of claim 1, further comprising a lid that engages the rim to cover the collapsible cup.
 5. The collapsible cup of claim 2, further comprising a lid that engages the rim to lock the liner top of the flexible liner between the lid and the rim, such that the lid covers the access opening of the liner top.
 6. A collapsible cup comprising: a base for supporting the collapsible cup; a series of cylindrical body segments of graduated diameters which telescopically engage each other and the cylindrical base segment; a rim formed at a top of the cylindrical body segments; and internal and external threads of at least some of the cylindrical body segments that together enable the cylindrical body segments to be selectively movable between a collapsed position and an extended position by twisting the rim with respect to the base, wherein in the collapsed position the rim is generally adjacent the base, wherein in the extended position the rim is vertically spaced from the base, and wherein the cylindrical body segments remain threadedly engaged during the entire transition between the collapsed and extended positions, and do not disengage.
 7. The collapsible cup of claim 6, further comprising a flexible liner having an access opening at a liner top and a liner base at a liner bottom, the top of the flexible liner being attachable to or adjacent the rim.
 8. The collapsible cup of claim 7, wherein the flexible liner has a plurality of folds disposed between the liner top and the liner bottom.
 9. The collapsible cup of claim 6, further comprising a lid that engages the rim to cover the collapsible cup.
 10. The collapsible cup of claim 7, further comprising a lid that engages the rim to lock the liner top of the flexible liner between the lid and the rim, such that the lid covers the access opening of the liner top.
 11. A collapsible cup comprising: a base; a cylindrical base segment extending upwardly from the base, the cylindrical base segment having an external thread on an external surface, adjacent a top perimeter of the cylindrical base segment; a series of cylindrical body segments of graduated diameters which telescopically engage each other and the cylindrical base segment; an externally threaded upper portion of at least one of the cylindrical body segments; an internal thread that extends the across all of an internal surface of each of the cylindrical body segments, such that each of the cylindrical body segments is threadedly engaged with and supported by either the external thread of the cylindrical base segment, or the externally threaded upper portion of one of the cylindrical body segments; a rim formed at a top of the cylindrical body segments, whereby the cylindrical body segments are thereby selectively movable between a collapsed position and an extended position by twisting the rim with respect to the base; a flexible liner having an access opening at a liner top and a liner base at a liner bottom, the top of the flexible liner being attachable to or adjacent the rim; and a lid that engages the rim to lock the liner top of the flexible liner between the lid and the rim, such that the lid covers the access opening of the liner top. 